TOP 10 Questions #10. How Much Is This Going to Cost?

If photography was an off-the-shelf commodity, this would be an easy question to answer. There would be one flat rate no matter what it takes to create the image. Well, in the big box portrait studios, that's easy to do. The customer sits down in nearly the exact same position and exact same pose as the 1,000 people before him/her. The photo is taken with the exact same camera, the exact same lens, at the exact same height, with the exact same lighting.

Don't you deserve better than mere snap shots that look like everyone else's? You want to capture the essence of the design! How can you do that with a cookie cutter? What great creative solution did you apply in your project? What "side" of your project is most photogenic? You don't want a "mug shot" of your design. Commercial photography is about capturing your vision with the creativity and talent of your photographer.

There are so many factors that contribute to beautiful architectural photography, lighting, time of day, angle, lens, composition, arrangements, and the tiniest details all together make a the image one that moves the viewer to stop and look closer at the soul of your design. All these factors can play a part in determining the cost of your photography project.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com
866-722-9506

TOP 10 Questions #9. I Paid You To Take The Photos… What Do You Mean I Don’t Own Them?

This can be a touchy subject with some photographers, and their clients. Just like when you rent a car, you don't own that car. The same is true when you license images from a photographer. The costs of creating your images are probably broken down into three categories, Creative Fee, Usage Fee, and Expenses

Creative Fee is exactly that, the creativity and talent required to capture your vision of a subject by the photographer.

Expenses are self explanatory, these are the actual expenses such as travel, equipment rental, props, etc.

Usage is, to put it as simplistically as possible, is your rental fee to use the images created. Your photographer should be clearly illustrating those terms in their Estimate and invoice. Two years exclusive use for all marketing efforts with the exception of paid advertising. One year, non-exclusive use, etc. If you don't see these "rental" terms on your estimate, be sure to ask the photographer what they are, AND, be sure they are part of the final estimate you sign. This will save you form misunderstandings in the long run.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com
866-722-9506

TOP 10 Questions #8. Scouting... Why Would I Want to Do That?

Whether you have a scouting trip is completely up to you and your photographer. Scouting can significantly help elevate the chances that the images you receive from the photographer are the images you envisioned.

There are three types of scouting:

• You and the photographer are both present on site. This is the most ideal situation to ensure the exact views and details of an image are exactly what you’re envisioning, but can also be the most expensive.
• You have the only photographer (or one of his/her assistants) go to the site. They take rough scouting images based on a floor plan/site plan with a shot list and angles for images identified. Those images are sent to your office for review, feedback, and approval for the final photography shot list. The margin for error in you achieving exactly the shot you want increases with this option, since you’re not there on site with the photographer.
• You provide rough images. These have been taken previously by yourself or someone on your staff and generally accompany a floor plan/site plan given to a photographer identifying angles and specific details provided. The chances of not receiving exactly what you anticipated is increased further, as the photographer will have never visited the site before the day of final photography and can’t plan for potential issues that may impact the shoot that would otherwise be identified during a scouting visit.

Which type of scouting is also a judgement call based on several factors:

• How confident are you in the photographer understanding what images you want or details to highlight from just a conversation or a floor plan diagram?
• How critical are the images to your portfolio? If these are going to be “flag ship” images, then the more critical it is that you be there to ensure your vision is captured in the images
• Is it a cost effective decision for you to also be at the shoot if it is not local to your firm’s main office?

NOTE: Reshoots are expensive and can be irritating to all parties involved, so, if at all possible should be avoided, and the best way to avoid them is a scouting session.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com

866-722-9506866-722-9506

TOP 10 Questions #7. Another Firm Gave Me These Images from A Project We Worked On Together, It is OK To Use Them On Our Web Site… Right?

Tentatively Yes, if along with the images, they have provided you a written statement from the Photographer either granting you permission, or a statement that the Copyright has been transferred from the Photographer to the firm giving you the images, and that firm is giving you permission to use them.

Typically… ABSOLUTELY NOT.

If you have received photographs from another person or firm, and you have not seen a document providing written permission for you to use them, it is YOUR responsibility to secure licensing rights before using them. When in doubt, contact the photographer before using the images.

Any copying, reproduction, distribution, public display or creation of derivative works of images without specific permission from the photographer is a violation of Federal copyright law. This includes putting them on your web site.

Simply having physical possession of photographs, slides, prints, transparencies or digital files does NOT grant the right to use them.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com
866-722-9506

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R2 Photography, LLC

TOP 10 Questions #6. How Long Should The Actual Shooting Take?

A rough estimate, not based on any details whatsoever, each view, each image takes approximately 45-90 minutes to prepare, stage, and shoot.

Whoa... that long? What in the world could take that long?

Survey - the photographer (and potentially yourself as the client) need to look over the scene, find the best angle, evaluate challenges and favorable aspects of each scene.

Set Up - the camera, tripod, and possibly lights need to be unpacked, set up, positioned, adjusted.

Staging - this can be as simple as picking up pieces of paper on the floor, or as advanced as adjusting the direction of every single wheel on each leg of a chair in a laboratory classroom... all 45 chairs, so all 180 wheels.

Final Composing - a myriad of adjustments need to be made in the camera itself, focusing, focal point, aperture, shutter speed.

Final Scene Adjustments - after looking through the view finder additional adjustments most likely will need to be made in the scene, pivoting furniture, adjusting foliage, etc.

Image Capture - generally more than one frame is shot of each view. There are a variety of reasons to do it this way. But depending on the photographer's approach, it can be as simple as having an insurance policy of more than one frame of each view.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com
866-722-9506

TOP 10 Questions #5. It’s OK to Give These Image to ______ to Use In Their Marketing, Right?

Absolutely not! And WHY would you do this? You have paid hard earned money for these images. Why would you let someone else get for free, something you had to pay for?

Similarly, you wouldn't want someone taking your design and selling it to someone else, and pocketing the money for themselves? You worked hard on those designs. You deserve to be compensated for them. You might want to pay the other party a commission on the sale, but you created what was being sold, you deserve the money for it.

Any copying, reproduction, distribution, public display or creation of derivative works of images without specific permission from the photographer is a violation of Federal copyright law. This includes putting them on your web site.

Simply having physical possession of photographs, slides, prints, transparencies or digital files does NOT grant the right to use them.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com
866-722-9506